Unlawful killing of Quindon Bacchus: President Ali orders AG to drop appeal, pay family $24M

Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday announced that the State would be paying the $24 million compensation to the estate ofQuindon Bacchus, who was unlawfully killed in 2022 when a team of police ranks gunned him down.

The High Court had ordered the State in November 2024 to pay the estate of Bacchus the sum of $1 million for his funeral expenses, $22.5 million as damages for the breach of his right to life, and $500,000 in costs.
The State had indicated that it would appeal the ruling, but Jagdeo, during his press conference on Thursday, told reporters that President Dr Irfaan Ali has intervened to stop the legal battle.
“The President was made aware of the ongoing efforts by the Attorney General’s Chambers, and instructed that the appeal should not proceed. Instead, the compensation must be paid,” Jagdeo has said.
The police had claimed that the 25-year-old Bacchus was going to sell an undercover police rank an unlicensed firearm, and after the rank had revealed himself to be a policeman, the father of one, who resided at Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara, started to flee; and in the process, had discharged several rounds at the police.

The police claimed they returned fire, fatally hitting Bacchus. However, investigations revealed that there was no authorised police operation in that area, and no police commander was aware of any such operation.
Examination of the firearm allegedly recovered at the scene had revealed that the firearm the police claimed Bacchus used to shoot at them was inoperable, and could not have been fired by the deceased. Further, no civilian witness claimed to have seen Bacchus fire at the police.
As a result of the incident and subsequent investigation by the police, several ranks were allegedly placed under close arrest. One such officer, Lance Corporal Kristoff DeNobrega, has been charged with the offence of murder, and has since been committed to stand trial in the High Court.
Police Lance Corporal Thurston Simon and Cadet Officer Dameion McLennon have been charged with attempting to obstruct the course of justice. Lance Corporal Simon has also been charged with the offence of conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline.

The circumstances which led to the death of Bacchus caused great public outcry, protests, and the temporary lockdown of certain areas of the country. The mother of Bacchus filed an action against the State for the unlawful killing of her son. This action was filed by the law firm of Dexter Todd and Associates.

The State at first defended the action, denying liability for the killing and claiming that Bacchus died during an authorised police undercover operation. However, by letter dated July 24, 2024, the Office of the Attorney General wrote the Attorneys for Bacchus’s mother, as well as the Judge, indicating that the State has accepted liability for the brutal shooting and requested that the court decide on the quantum of damages to be granted to the estate of the deceased.
The court invited submissions from both sides, and subsequently made its decision. The Judge found that the brutal killing of Bacchus breached his right to life, as protected under the Constitution of Guyana.
The court indicated that it looked at recent matters of a similar nature and considered the settlement and judgment amounts in those matters before making its own decision in this case.